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Home Improvement
How to create the perfect outdoor retreat
Backyards have always been places where families can get away without actually going away. Outdoor areas connect people with their favorite natural treasures while providing a place to relax. Whether it's adding an outdoor kitchen and replacing your old picnic table with a truly impressive dining set, or outfitting your ...
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How to help your garden survive a drought
For many American gardeners, 2012 has not been a kind year. Most of the Midwest is dealing with one of the worst droughts on record. And while the Midwest is bearing the brunt of the drought this year, other parts of the country have also been hit hard in recent years, and climate change may be making matters worse. Sinc...
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Indoor air quality - how to protect your home and your family
It's a surprising statistic, but data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, including the air in your home. With the average American spending as much as 90 percent of their lives indoors, taking relatively easy steps to...
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DIY projects refresh your space in 1 weekend
Home and style magazines, social media and interior designers on TV are inspiring more homeowners to transform their spaces into places they love. Projects range from renewing your bathtub to refreshing your backyard deck, and can be completed in just one weekend.
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Tips for a successful roof renovation
Your roof is one of the first things that visitors, neighbors and people passing by will see. Keeping it up to date and maintained can save you from dealing with other problems inside your home later on.
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New mobile app puts flooring in hand
Applications for smartphones and tablets are everywhere today. And more than ever, people are using these applications to save time and money while finding that perfect product to enhance their busy lives.
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Adding or replacing deck railings a great do-it-yourself project
A good deck system can offer many benefits to a homeowner. Decks provide a place for fall cookouts, neighborhood parties, family get-togethers and countless other outdoor activities. A deck will not only provide years of wonderful outdoor living, it also adds intrinsic value to a home. Adding a good railing system to a d...
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Why more people are installing saltwater pools
One of the hottest summers in US history has sent everyone scurrying into their pools to cool off, and the biggest new trend in swimming pools is salt water. First developed in Australia, saltwater pools offer several advantages over conventional chlorine and have become incredibly popular in the last decade.
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Unique chalkboard craft projects are a stylish way to stay organized
Everyone's life needs a bit of organization - so why not do it with a bit of fun and whimsy? For a new way to get organized, think charming, unique ... think chalkboard paint. That's right, the old-school chalkboard is making a stylish comeback. And with a bit of hands-on creativity, your home can be organized, stylish a...
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Greening your home: Start at the tap
In today's environmentally conscious times, it seems we're surrounded by the need to shop, act and live "green." Some of our choices are easy and small, while others can be big and costly. But one thing is for sure - each choice can make a significant difference.
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Go big or go home with your redecorating? Why not both?
"Go big or go home." It's a popular sports chant that's found its way into numerous other aspects of American life. But when it comes to home decor, going big at home may not seem like an option, especially if your budget is less than grand. In reality, it is possible to make a big difference in your home decor on just a...
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By Malia Mattoch McManus HONOLULU (Reuters) - The city of Detroit may be facing a deepening financial crisis but that hasn't stopped four trustees of its public pension funds from spending $22,000 of retirement system funds to attend a conference in Hawaii this week. The trip 4,500 miles west to a four-star resort on the world-famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu doesn't sit well with the top officials now running Detroit's finances under an emergency order from the state of Michigan. ...
By Tim Gaynor NACO, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican activist Maria Elena Borquez takes up a paintbrush and daubs a bright splotch of color on the rusted steel fence separating the small Mexican town of Naco from a neighboring town in the United States. "The wall projects hostility," she said, paint pot in hand and surrounded by youngsters from both the United States and Mexico. "The idea is to transform it with art, friendship, colors and life ... into something that unites us," said Borquez, who is director of the local museum. ...
By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - The foreman of an Arizona jury that deadlocked over whether Jodi Arias should be put to death for murdering her ex-boyfriend believes she was mentally abused, but said on Friday that had not been enough to excuse her crime. Arias, a former waitress from California, was found guilty this month of murdering Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He had been stabbed 27 times, had his throat slashed and been shot in the face. ...